Convertible snow motorcycle

ABSTRACT

A riding-type vehicle supported at its front by a steerable ski and at its rear selectively be either a second ski or a pair of power-driven wheels with large balloon tires, as determined by the rider.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Jon M. Henricks Route 22, Long Grove,Ill. 60047 [21] Appl. No. 8,621 [22] Filed Feb. 4, 1970 [45} PatentedDec. 28, 1971 [54} CONVERTIBLE SNOW MOTORCYCLE 8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[52] 0.5. CI 180/6 A, 280/7.14, 280/D1G. 5 [51] Int. Cl B62!!! 29/00,862k 13/00 [50] Field of Search 180/6, 6 A, 5 R; 280/7.l4, 7.12, 12.14,9

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 561,405

6/1896 Leahan 650,171 5/1900 Dannehl 800,186 9/1905 Vaughan 3,252,5335/1966 Aeder et a1. 1,158,584 11/1915 Thomas I FORElGN PATENTS 175,0479/1906 Germany 141,208 3/1935 Austria....

866,523 5/1941 France Primary Examiner Leo Friaglia Altorney-lra MiltonJones 180/6 A 180/6 R 180/6 A ABSTRACT: A riding-type vehicle supportedat its front by a steerable ski and at its rear selectively be either asecond ski or a pair of power-driven wheels with large balloon tires, as

determined by the rider.

PATENTED DECZ 8 l97l SHEET 1 0F 6 PATENTED DEC28 |97l SHEET l- UF 6PATENIED 05828 ml SHEET 5 OF 6 JuzzMlfazzrwks CONVERTIBLE SNOWMOTORCYCLE This invention relates to riding-type vehicles, especiallyadapted for winter sports, but convertible to other uses.

The purpose and object of the invention is to provide an improvedski-supported vehicle which is equipped with powerdriven traction wheelsthat can be rendered operative to drive the vehicle uphill and can bedeactivated so as not to interfere with sliding downhill.

The concept of a power-driven vehicle for use on snow and ice is ofcourse not new. Its inception perhaps grew out of experiences of earlymotorists in their efforts to cope with winter driving. By 1923, whenHerman E. Pearson of Wayzata, Minn., filed his application for U.S. Pat.No. 1,637,533, the idea was already well established, as is evident fromthe fact that he presented his invention as an improved means fordriving a vehicle equipped with runners in place of the usual wheels.

From his conversion of the touring car of that era to a power-drivensleigh, Pearson moved to what might be considered the forerunner of thepresent day Sno-Mobile, for in 1924 he filed applications for U.S. Pat.Nos. 1,682,051 and 1,686,846-the first for a Motor Toboggan and thesecond for Power Driven Skis. What success the patentee Pearson had withhis power-driven toboggan and skis, of course, is not known, but in eachcase steering must have been a most serious problem, for the steeringmeans disclosed in his patents could not possibly have been effective.

With a view toward overcoming the deficiencies and objections to pastattempts to motorize skis and provide a new and practical way ofutilizing this concept, this invention has as its more specific objectthe provision of a ski-supported vehicle, in the nature of a motor bikein that the rider, when seated thereon, straddles the same and steers itby means of handlebars, and when power is needed, simply moves a leverto activate a pair of balloon-tired wheels at the rear of the vehicle.

With these observations and objectives in mind, the manner in which theinvention achieves its purpose will be appreciated from the followingdescription and the accompanying drawings, which exemplify theinvention.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example of theembodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode sofar devised for the practical application of the principles thereof andin which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vehicle of this inventionillustrating its primary use;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the vehicle, showing the samesupported on its skis and with the foreground traction wheel removed tobetter illustrate the structure between the wheels;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the rear ski elevatedand the illustrated traction wheel operative;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the structure between the tractionwheels by which the traction wheels and the rear ski are connected withthe frame of the vehicle and one or the other is selectively renderedoperative;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the vehicle, at a smaller scale, illustratingthe vehicle converted to use as a riding-type golf cart;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but showing the vehicle used as ashopping aid;

FIG. 7 is a side view, similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the vehicle ofthis invention in a slightly modified form; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the ski mounting and adjusting structureof the vehicle shown in FIG. 7.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 7 designates theframe of the vehicle of this invention. This frame is conveniently madeof metal tubing and includes a front end section 8, a forked rear endsection 9 and upper and lower members 10 and 11 connecting the front andrear sections. The front end section pivotally mounts a front endsupporting structure 12 for rotation about an upright axis. Thissupporting structure includes parallel side members 13 which straddle awheel 14 and, by means of suitable bearings, rotatably mount the axle 15of this wheel.

The upper ends of the side members 13 are directed laterally outward toprovide handlebars 16 by which the vehicle is steered.

The'forked rear end section 9 of the frame mounts bearings 17 in whichthe axle 18 of a pair of large balloon-tired tractions wheels 19 isjournaled. The wheels are fixed to the end portions of the axle and, asclearly shown in FIG. 1, are spaced outwardly of the frame. FIGS. 2 and3, for sake of clarity, have the foreground wheel removed.

A sprocket wheel 20 fixed to the medial portion of the wheel axle 18 isembraced by the forked rear end section of the frame and is drivinglyconnected with the drive shaft of an intemal-combustion engine 21through a suitable chain and sprocket drive transmission, indicatedgenerally by the numeral 22. The engine is mounted on the lower member11 of the frame, and the drive transmission is equipped with aconventional clutch that is controllable from the handlebars. A riderseated upon the seat 23 of the vehicle, as shown in FIG. 1, thus canreadily control the transmission of power to the traction wheels, andcan also, in the conventional manner, control the engine speed.

The vehicle is selectively supported at its rear either by the tractionwheels 19 or by a ski 24. The ski 24 has its front end pivoted to thelower member 11 of the frame, as at 25, and has its rear end portionconnected with the frame by a toggle joint 26. In its extended orstraightened condition, the toggle joint 26 holds the ski 24 at a levelbelow the bottom of the traction wheels, as shown in FIG. 2, but in thecollapsed condition of the toggle joint, the ski 24 is held at anelevation above the bottom of the traction wheels, as shown in FIG. 3.

The toggle joint 26 comprises a pair of spaced-parallel upper links 27and a pair of spaced-parallel lower links 28 pivotally connected at theknee of the toggle joint by a crossshaft 29. The lower links 28 arepivotally connected, as at 30, to the ski 24 and the upper links areconnected, as at 31, to plates 32 secured to the adjacent portion of theframe. These plates have downward projections 33 which are bent inwardlysufficiently to lie in the path of the upper links 27 and be engagedthereby when the toggle joint is straightened by a forward pull appliedat its knee. The point at which projections 33 limit further forwardtravel of the links 27 is slightly beyond the dead center position ofthe toggle joint.

A pair of strong tension springs 34 connected between the rear end ofthe ski 24 and the knee of the toggle joint at all times tend tocollapse the same, so that when the forward pull on the jount-which isapplied thereto by a hand lever 35is released, the toggle joint isimmediately collapsed and the ski lifted, to render the traction wheelsoperative. The lever 35 is pivoted at its lower end to the frame, as at36, and its upper free end portion rides in a slot 37 in a plate 38fixed to the upper member 10 of the frame in front of the seat.

A cable having one end thereof connected to the lever, as at 39, andtrained about a guide roller 40, passes downwardly towards the lowerpivoted end of the lever where it enters a tube 41 fixed to the frame tohave its opposite end connected to the knee of the toggle joint throughlinkage 42. Pulling back on the hand lever 35 thus straightens thetoggle joint and disposes it in its slightly overcenter condition, shownin FIG. 2, holding the ski 24 below the level of the traction wheels.The lever can be releasably held in its pulled-back location by engagingit in a notch 43 in one edge of the slot 37.

Since the vehicle is primarily intended for use in winter, a short frontski 45 is detachably secured to the front end supporting structure 12,to be steered by means of the handlebars. This ski is held in place withthe wheel 14 resting thereon, by a pair of platelike arms 46 which arefixed to the ski and are attached to the wheel axle 15 with the wheeltherebetween. For this purpose the arms 46 have rearwardly facingnotches in which the axle is received and secured against displacementby latches 48.

In using the vehicle for what might be called a ski sled, the riderpreferably attaches a pair of short skis 50 to his feet and then setshimself upon the seat, as shown in FIG. 1. With the engine running, heis now ready to ridedownhill with the rear ski lowered and uphill withthe ski lifted and the large balloon-tired traction wheels providingpropulsion.

The modified embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8employs a simplified control for raising and lowering the rear ski. Asin the structure previously described, the vehicle shown in FIGS. 7 and8, also has balloon-tired traction wheels 19 and a rear ski 24 betweenthe wheels and pivotally connected at its front end to the frame. Atoggle joint 26 connects the ski with the axle shaft 18 upon which thewheels are mounted, to hold the ski in its elevated position when thetoggle joint is collapsed, and in its lowered position when the togglejoint is extended. However, in this case, the knee of the toggle jointis rearward of dead center in the extended condition of the toggle andis moved to that position by a handle or control lever 52 located behindthe seat. This handle or lever is pivoted on the axle shaft 18 and isrigidly connected with the upper links 27 of the toggle joint, so thatby pulling the handle forward the toggle joint is extended. Collision ofthe upper links 27 with inwardly directed flanges 53 on arcuate plates54 that are fixed to the frame, defines the extended condition of thetoggle joint, and a readily releasable spring-pressed latch 55 under theseat holds the handle in its forward position. Release of the latch 55and a slight rearward push on the handle enables a tension spring 57connected between the knee of the toggle joint and the frame to collapsethe toggle joint and raise the ski.

When the winter sports season is over, the vehicle can be readilyconverted to use as a riding golf cart, as shown in FIG. 5. All that isrequired to effect such conversion is the removal of the skis and, ofcourse, the mechanism for raising and lowering the rear ski.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention can beembodied in forms other than as herein disclosed for purposes ofillustration.

The invention is defined by the following claims:

1. A convertible snow motorcycle comprising:

A. a frame having a front end and a rear end;

B. a seat on the frame upon which the rider sits straddling the frame;

C. front end supporting and steering means including a front ski andhandlebars;

D. pivot means connecting the front end supporting and steering meanswith the front end of the frame for rotation about an upright axis, sothat said front ski may be turned by manipulation of the handlebars tosteer travel of the motorcycle over the terraine;

E. rear end supporting means comprising power-driven traction wheelmeans and rear ski means;

F. means supportingly connecting the frame with the said traction wheelmeans and with said rear ski means; the connection between the tractionwheel means and the frame constraining the wheel means to rotation aboutan axis fixed with respect to the frame, and the connection between therear ski means and the frame comprising pivot means connecting the frontend of the rear ski means with the frame forwardly of the wheel means,and a toggle joint connecting the rear end portion of the rear ski meanswith the frame, said toggle joint when collapsed holding the rear skimeans above the bottom of the wheel means, and when straightened outholding the rear ski means at a level below the bottom of the wheelmeans; and

G. manually controllable selecting means operable to straighten out thetoggle joint.

2. The convertible snow motorcycle of claim I, further characterized bybiasing means acting upon the toggle joint to yieldingly hold thetogglejoint in its collapsed condition.

3. The convertible snow motorcycle of claim 2, wherein said biasingmeans comprises a tension spring connected between the knee of thetoggle joint and the rear end of the rear ski means.

4. The convertible snow motorcycle of claim 2, wherein said manuallycontrollable selection means comprises an upright hand lever pivoted atits lower end to the frame at a point in front of the seat forto-and-fro swinging movement toward and from the seat, and

cable means connecting said hand lever with the knee of the togglejoint.

5. The convertible snow motorcycle of claim I, wherein said tractionwheel means comprises a pair of large balloon-tired wheels, one at eachside of the frame, and

wherein said rear ski means comprises a single ski between said wheels,so that when the rear ski means is operative to support the rear end ofthe frame the vehicle is supported on two skis, one behind the other,and when the traction wheel means is operative, the vehicle has athreepoint support consisting of the front-steerable ski and theballoon-tired wheels.

6. A riding-type vehicle comprising:

A. a frame having a front end and a rear end;

B. a seat on the frame upon which the rider sits straddling the frame;

C. front end supporting and steering means including a front ski;

D. a transverse axle shaft at the rear end portion of the frame;

E. a pair of power-driven balloon-tired wheels mounted on the endportions of said axle shaft;

F. a rear ski between the wheels projecting forwardly and rearwardlythereof;

G. pivot means connecting the front end of said rear ski with the frame;

H. a toggle joint connecting the axle shaft with the rear ski, saidtoggle joint in its extended position holding the ski in a loweredposition below the level of the bottom of the wheels, and in itscollapsed condition holding the ski above the level of the bottom of thewheels;

I. stop means on the frame with which a part of the toggle jointcollides to define the extended condition of the toggle joint;

J. biasing means reacting between the toggle joint and the frameyieldingly urging the toggle joint toward its collapsed condition; and

K. manually operable control means connected with the toggle joint formoving the same to its extended condition.

7. The riding-type vehicle of claim 6, wherein said manually operablecontrol means comprises a hand lever pivoted to the frame in front ofthe seat,

and a cable connecting the lever with the knee of the toggle joint.

8. The riding-type vehicle of claim 6, wherein the toggle joint hasupper and lower links, the upper link being pivotally connected to theaxle shaft, and

wherein said manually operable control means comprises a control leverpivoted to the axle shaft and fixed with respect to the upper link ofthe toggle joint, said control lever being located behind the seat.

1. A convertible snow motorcycle comprising: A. a frame having a frontend and a rear end; B. a seat on the frame upon which the rider sitsstraddling the frame; C. front end supporting and steering meansincluding a front ski and handlebars; D. pivot means connecting thefront end supporting and steering means with the front end of the framefor rotation about an upright axis, so that said front ski may be turnedby manipulation of the handlebars to steer travel of the motorcycle overthe terraine; E. rear end supporting means Comprising power-driventraction wheel means and rear ski means; F. means supportinglyconnecting the frame with the said traction wheel means and with saidrear ski means; the connection between the traction wheel means and theframe constraining the wheel means to rotation about an axis fixed withrespect to the frame, and the connection between the rear ski means andthe frame comprising pivot means connecting the front end of the rearski means with the frame forwardly of the wheel means, and a togglejoint connecting the rear end portion of the rear ski means with theframe, said toggle joint when collapsed holding the rear ski means abovethe bottom of the wheel means, and when straightened out holding therear ski means at a level below the bottom of the wheel means; and G.manually controllable selecting means operable to straighten out thetoggle joint.
 2. The convertible snow motorcycle of claim 1, furthercharacterized by biasing means acting upon the toggle joint toyieldingly hold the toggle joint in its collapsed condition.
 3. Theconvertible snow motorcycle of claim 2, wherein said biasing meanscomprises a tension spring connected between the knee of the togglejoint and the rear end of the rear ski means.
 4. The convertible snowmotorcycle of claim 2, wherein said manually controllable selectionmeans comprises an upright hand lever pivoted at its lower end to theframe at a point in front of the seat for to-and-fro swinging movementtoward and from the seat, and cable means connecting said hand leverwith the knee of the toggle joint.
 5. The convertible snow motorcycle ofclaim 1, wherein said traction wheel means comprises a pair of largeballoon-tired wheels, one at each side of the frame, and wherein saidrear ski means comprises a single ski between said wheels, so that whenthe rear ski means is operative to support the rear end of the frame thevehicle is supported on two skis, one behind the other, and when thetraction wheel means is operative, the vehicle has a three-point supportconsisting of the front-steerable ski and the balloon-tired wheels.
 6. Ariding-type vehicle comprising: A. a frame having a front end and a rearend; B. a seat on the frame upon which the rider sits straddling theframe; C. front end supporting and steering means including a front ski;D. a transverse axle shaft at the rear end portion of the frame; E. apair of power-driven balloon-tired wheels mounted on the end portions ofsaid axle shaft; F. a rear ski between the wheels projecting forwardlyand rearwardly thereof; G. pivot means connecting the front end of saidrear ski with the frame; H. a toggle joint connecting the axle shaftwith the rear ski, said toggle joint in its extended position holdingthe ski in a lowered position below the level of the bottom of thewheels, and in its collapsed condition holding the ski above the levelof the bottom of the wheels; I. stop means on the frame with which apart of the toggle joint collides to define the extended condition ofthe toggle joint; J. biasing means reacting between the toggle joint andthe frame yieldingly urging the toggle joint toward its collapsedcondition; and K. manually operable control means connected with thetoggle joint for moving the same to its extended condition.
 7. Theriding-type vehicle of claim 6, wherein said manually operable controlmeans comprises a hand lever pivoted to the frame in front of the seat,and a cable connecting the lever with the knee of the toggle joint. 8.The riding-type vehicle of claim 6, wherein the toggle joint has upperand lower links, the upper link being pivotally connected to the axleshaft, and wherein said manually operable control means comprises acontrol lever pivoted to the axle shaft and fixed with respect to theupper link of the toggle joint, said control lever being located behindthe seat.